Reach for the Soul
by wizardelfgirl
Summary: Kovu has never received love in his life, so now that he has a son of his own he doesn't know how to act. However, when a mysterious lion kidnaps his son, Kovu will have to fight his inner fears in order to rescue him... CHAPTER SIX UP!
1. A Strange Vision

            King Simba was dead. The great king of the Pridelands had given his last breath of life in the living world. His body was placed in a hidden valley in the deepness of the Pridelands among the bones of the great kings. His last request had been to be left between his mother, Sarabi, and his mate and queen, Nala, who had departed just a few months before him. However, King Simba had lived long enough to see the birth of his grandchild and to name him before departing to reunite with his father, the wise Mufasa. 

            Heartbroken though she felt, Kiara took her place in the Circle of Life as queen of her pride. Beside her was Kovu, her mate, a young, dark-furred lion, once prince of the Outlands, and now Prince Consort to his mate. Though not really a king, he was called like that by most of the Pridelanders, which made him feel a little uncomfortable, but he soon got used to it, grateful that the pride accepted him so warmly.

            And then there was their son, a beautiful, fuzzy cub who had inherited his mother's golden fur, but had been born with a small tuft of hair as dark as his father's mane. As Simba had asked, he was named Sinta, which in their tongue meant "starlight". 

            The day of the presentation ceremony, all the animals gathered as always at the foot of Pride Rock, awaiting to see their future sovereign. At the highest border of the Rock stood Rafiki, the wizened, old baboon who always presided on the ceremony. At last there they were: Kiara and Kovu, with the cub in Kiara's mouth. On one side, perched on a protruding rock, was Zazu, the hornbill. And behind them were Simba's best friends, Timon and Pumbaa, now old and tired, but just as eager to help raise the young prince as they had been to raise Kiara. While Rafiki performed the traditional ritual on Sinta, Kovu walked near the edge, watching yet again the vast empire that one day would belong to his child. It was so beautiful. _And to think it could have been destroyed by me, he thought, __blindly following the hatred my mother poisoned my heart with. How will I ever teach my son to love when all I __was ever taught was hate?  _

            Kovu was still meditating on this when something below caught his attention. There, among the antelopes and the elephants, he could see a small, silent figure watching him. 

            "A lion?" he muttered, bewildered. "Who is he?"

            However, that was not what had surprised him so much. What had surprised him was that the strange lion looked _exactly_ like him! He was so taken aback that he lost his balance, his front paws slipped on the edge, and he almost fell to the ground. Fortunately he reacted on time and managed to dig his claws on the rock to steady himself.

            "Kovu! Are you all right?"

            Rafiki had noticed Kovu's movements and was now beside him, the small cub cradled in his arms.

            "Y-yes," answered Kovu, still a bit shaken. "Guess I'm still not used to such heights." 

            Rafiki stared at the lion with suspicion in his eyes, but all he muttered was: "Very well. Come, the ritual has finished, it is time to present your son to the rest of the animals."

           Kovu nodded and stood up. As he did so, he glanced over to the spot where he had seen the other lion. It was gone. 

            "I must have imagined it. Some kind of optical illusion or something." With that, Kovu joined Kiara and Rafiki and beheld his son being shown to all the inhabitants of the savannah. 


	2. A Pain Within the Soul

            Time had passed since the presentation ceremony. The small and frail baby prince of the Pridelands had grown into a strong and healthy cub who could always be found exploring every inch of his future kingdom along with his friends, two little female twin cubs named Kenna and Jenna, daughters of Sinta's aunt Vitani, and a male cub named Genka, who was a few months older than the prince. Together they were like a small hurricane, and the pranks they constantly pulled on everyone were soon widely known throughout the land. 

            However, what Sinta enjoyed most in life were the long walks he took with his father at dawn. Kovu had the habit of walking every day to the waterhole nearby, and he would often invite his son to join him. They never talked, though. They would just wander impassively without uttering a sound, until they arrived to the waterhole and there rested for a while before going back. Sinta sometimes wondered why his father didn't talk to him during their walks, longed to ask him about the scar he had in his left eye, but he knew it was useless. His father rarely spoke to him, at least not as his mother would. But he didn't really care. The love the dark-furred lion professed him could be sensed without words. His father would do anything to protect him and Sinta knew it. 

            The truth was, Kovu had had so little practice on showing his emotions that he didn't know how to express himself. He longed to talk to his child and teach him, but every time he tried he became tongue-tied and confused. Every evening he would bee seen lying on the edge of Pride Rock, watching Sinta playing with his friends, longing to reach him and show him his love, but lacking the confidence to do so.

            It was during one of these daily watches that Rafiki decided to pay a visit to the Royal Family. He found Kovu resting on Pride Rock, as always, while the cubs romped and played in the field below.

            "Hello, Kovu. I'm glad to see that you have mastered your fear of heights."

            "Huh?" Kovu turned around, startled by Rafiki's presence. That monkey had the annoying habit of appearing without making a sound. 

            "Remember the day of the presentation, when you almost fell?"

            "What? Oh, right! Yes, I have 'mastered my fear' as you put it." 

            "Care if I join you?"

            "No, not at all," said Kovu, shifting to one side to make some space for the old baboon. Rafiki sat beside the young lion and watched as the sun slowly sank in the horizon. Somewhere near, they heard one of the lionesses' voice calling the children to get inside. They stayed there, motionless, until the sun had fully disappeared and the night had fallen. Then Rafiki stood up.

            "That was a beautiful sunset, wasn't it?"

            "Yes, it was."

            "You know, I can't help feeling that something is troubling you."

            For a moment, Kovu looked up straight into Rafiki's eyes, as if longing to tell him something. But the spell soon passed and Kovu lowered his gaze.

            "It's nothing."

            "You sure?

            "Yes," said Kovu, looking to the other side, something which, for someone so wise as Rafiki, meant totally the opposite. 

            "Then I must be going," said the baboon, picking up his staff. "If you _do ever feel something troubling you, you know where to find my tree."_

            "Thanks" answered Kovu with a hint of sadness in his voice. No sooner had he said this when a small, furry ball ran into him, knocking the wind out of him.

            "Aouhhh, Sinta!"

            "Dad! Dad! I have something to tell you!"

            "Why hello, Sinta, you have grown much since last time I saw you."

            "Hi, Rafiki," said the little cub, barely turning around to see him. "Dad, Genka said he found a bird's nest in a tree near the gorge and the babies have just hatched! I know I'm not allowed to go that far, but can I go tomorrow with him and see them? Please? Please?"

            Rafiki laughed as Kovu raised himself and massaged the spot where his son had hit him. Sinta sat waiting for his answer with a pleading look in those orange-red eyes he had inherited from his mother. Kovu smiled.

            "Ok, you can go. But stay close to Genka and don't run off."

            "Cool! Thanks, Dad, wait till I tell Mum!"

            Kovu watched his son run into the cave shouting joyously for his mother. Rafiki watched him too, perceiving a small stirring in the lion's emotions. Rafiki knew what was worrying Kovu, he understood his fears and the pain he carried in his soul. But he also knew he wouldn't be able to help him until he was willing to let himself be helped. So the wise baboon left, hoping that day would come soon, for the good of Kovu. 


	3. The Beginning

            Early the next day Sinta woke up and got himself ready for his expedition. Kiara bathed him (much to the cub's displeasure, for he didn't like baths) and Genka, after being lectured by his own mother about having to take good care of the prince, came to collect him. Kenna and Jenna were already waiting for them at the foot of Pride Rock. 

            "Now, Sinta, you and the girls be good and obey Genka, all right?" warned Kiara. "Don't make me send Timon and Pumbaa to watch over you."

            "Okay Mom, you don't need to threaten me like that, I'll be good."

            "Very funny, now run along."

            With that the young cubs left for the gorge, bathed by the warm morning sunlight. Kiara, Kovu, and Vitani watched them for a while, then the three went away on businesses of their own and didn't worry about them until dinner time. 

            The cubs had promised to come back by noon, but the sun had come and gone and there was no sign of them. One of the lionesses suggested that they send a party to look for them, when suddenly, far in the distance, they saw a figure slowly approaching. It was Genka.

            He was hurt, and his walk was unsteady. While Kovu gathered the pride and they all went down to meet him, Genka managed to drag himself near Pride Rock, and there he collapsed. Kovu noticed a trail of blood along the path he had followed. 

            "Genka!" exclaimed his mother, caressing his wounds with her tongue. "What happened to you? Where are the others?"

            "I... was... attacked," stammered Genka, trying to get up with the help of two lionesses. 

            "By whom?"

            "King Kovu."

            "WHAT!" Kovu was totally baffled by this answer, and he was also aware that all eyes were on him now.

            "At least, he looked like him. Same height and build, and same color of fur," continued Genka. "But then I noticed he hadn't the scar. And his eyes... they were so... mean.

            "What happened then, Genka, where is my son?" said Kiara.

            "We were trying to climb the tree to see the birds, when he attacked me from behind. He threw me to the ground and headed for Sinta. I tried to fight him, but he was too big for me. He knocked me down and I passed out. When I woke up, I was alone. I... I think he took them."

            "Oh no!" cried several voices. Kiara and Vitani lowered their heads, their eyes full of tears. Some of the lionesses growled. Kovu was too dumbfounded to do anything.

            "He said something," Genka said suddenly amid all the commotion. "Just before I passed out. He whispered it in my ear. He said: 'it's only the beginning.'"


	4. Who's to Blame?

            It was almost evening when the searching party returned to Pride Rock. The small group of the best tracker lionesses had been appointed by Kiara to go to the gorge and look for any clue or trace that could lead them to the cubs. While they were gone, Zazu had been sent to fetch Rafiki so he could cure Genka's wounds. Rafiki arrived a short while after, accompanied by his apprentice, a young baboon named Rishde, who was carrying a bowl with different kinds of plants and herbs. While they doctored Genka in one of the smaller caves, the rest of the pride went to rest in the main cave, where they discussed the recent events and tried to decide the course of action they should take.

            "What I say," argued one of the younger lionesses, "is that we're wasting time tarrying here and doing nothing while the kidnapper escapes."

            "And how do you expect to follow him?" answered an old and sly lioness. "We don't know which way he went, he could be anywhere by now."

            "We could follow his scent. We do have noses, don't we? We can trail him and catch up with him before he gets too far."

            "Not if he crossed the river, we can't," replied a voice behind them. The searching party had just climbed into the cave and were settling among their companions.

            "So he escaped that way, then?" said Kiara in a defeated voice.

            "Yes, we followed a few tracks up to the river's edge. We crossed to the other side, hoping to catch again his scent there, but it seems he traveled on the water for a while, to shake us off.

            "Do you mean to say," exclaimed the young lioness, "that he managed to cross the river carrying three cubs? You're mad, he couldn't have done that!"

            "The water isn't very deep," said another lioness from the searching party. "Besides, We don't think he was alone. We found a single smaller print near the river, just where we lost the scent."

            "So now what shall we do?"

            "Why don't we ask His Majesty here?" said the young lioness glancing at Kovu. "As the kidnapper resembles him, maybe he can enlighten us as to what his double might have done!"

            Up till now, the young king had kept quiet, hidden among the shadows in the far corner of the cave, listening to the discussion while pondering on his own thoughts. When addressed to so  abruptly, however, he came back to reality and stood up, facing the lioness.

            "I don't like your tone of voice, Dejani," he growled, "but as you keep hinting that _I_ had something to do with my own son's disappearance, the only thing I can say is—"

            "That you were not involved in any of today's events," said a voice.

            Everybody turned around. Rafiki was standing at the entrance of the cave with Rishde right behind him. 

            "I have finished dressing young Genka's wounds," he said, "and I'm glad to say that he will recover in no time. As for the unfortunate kidnapping of Prince Sinta and Vitani's daughters, it is absurd to even think that King Kovu was responsible for it."

            "I don't think it is absurd at all!" said Dejani stubbornly. "He gave them permission to go, didn't he? Besides, it has always been obvious that he's not so keen on the cub."

            "THAT IS _NOT_ TRUE!" roared Kovu, all his fur standing on end. "I love my son and I would do _anything to get him back, d'you hear? ANYTHING!"_

            Kovu felt so furious he decided to leave the cave, in case he might attack Dejani. But just as he was leaving, the young lioness shouted at him, "You're the worst father I've ever seen!"

            Kovu froze. The whole pride went silent. Even Rafiki did nothing. For a few minutes nobody moved, just gazed at the scene with transfixed eyes, as if waiting for a signal, for someone to talk, to break the tension that could be felt...

            Kovu stirred. For a moment it looked as if he might turn around. Everyone held their breaths, expecting the king to jump on Dejani, but he just shook his head and muttered, "You might have a point."

            And he slowly exited the cave, leaving everyone without words.

            Later that night, Kovu took refuge in a small cavern deep in the entrails of Pride Rock. He needed to be alone to think on what he had done. He knew he should have said something, defend himself from Dejani's accusation, but a small thought deep down his brain had suddenly surfaced and filled his mind with remorse: 'Dejani was right.' He was a bad father. Everything had been his fault. He hadn't been careful. He had given them permission to go. He had sent his son to peril. He had made Kiara cry. _Everything I do goes wrong_, he thought miserably. _Just as I killed my brother, I hurt my family and let my pride down_.

            "Kovu?"

            The lion dried the small tears that had appeared in his eyes with his paw and turned around to face his sister.

            "Kovu, I need to talk to you."

            "About what?"

            "About what has happened."

            "What's there to talk about?" said Kovu irritably. "My son and your daughters have been kidnapped by some weird lion who looks like me and we don't know where they are."

            "Well, that's the thing. I... I _think_ I might know who took them and where they are."

            "Really?" Kovu seemed unimpressed by her words. "Well, why don't you go and tell the others, that way they will find them and then they might stop thinking I kidnapped my own cub."

            "I'm serious!" snapped Vitani, and it was the tone of urgency in her voice what finally caught Kovu's attention. "I had completely forgotten about it, but it has just come to me."

            "What—" said Kovu slowly, "are you talking about?"

            "Mother told me once," said Vitani, and for the first time in his life, Kovu was afraid of what she might say. "When we were still cubs. She said you should never know, she was afraid it would hinder your training. Kovu... you have a twin brother."


	5. Memories from Afar

            Kovu stared at his sister, totally numb. He sat, his body trembling from head to tail. He was stunned. Dumbfounded. It had to be a dream. He had not heard correctly. 

            "A… a _what_, did you say?"

            "A twin brother," Vitani repeated, forcing herself to look at the king. "He— he was the firstborn, and supposedly Scar was to choose him to follow in his paw prints. However, when he came to see him a week after we were born, he noticed that he was very small, even smaller than me, who was the youngest. He feared that this difference in size might be a sign of weakness, so he chose you instead." 

            "And then, what happened to him?"

            "He was taken away that same night. Scar wanted to kill him because he didn't want weak blood in his pride, but our father begged him to let the cub live, so it was agreed that both should leave the lands and never return."

            "Our… our _father_?"

            It was the first time Kovu had heard anything about his real father. He had always wondered why, Zira being Scar's mate, he wasn't son of Scar, like Nuka. Only once had he asked this to his mother, only to be ordered to shut up and continue his training. However, Kovu had felt Zira's sharp remark hadn't been made out of anger, but of pain, as though the memory of this hurt her. It was the only time he had sensed weakness in his hardened mother. And he had paid dearly for it too, as his training had intensified to the point that every mistake he made was paid with blood.  

            Kovu shook his head. He had long since learned that dwelling on memories was a waste of time. He stood up and looked at his sister, who had crouched beneath him with her eyes staring at the floor, apparently afraid of how Kovu might react upon receiving all this information. Vitani felt his stare and, still in this humble position, looked up. To her astonishment, he was smiling. 

            "So, sis," he said, nudging her to make her stand up, "where do you reckon we can find our children?"

*  *  *

            "How _dare_ you accuse the king like that!"

            Kiara was bearing down on Dejani with her teeth bared and a hint of a roar on every word she said. Behind her, the rest of the lionesses watched the scene with fear in their eyes. 

            "I-I'm sorry Kiara," stammered Dejani. "I shouldn't have said that, I didn't mean to—"

            "Oh yes you did!" growled the queen. "You've been saying things like that for quite a while now, do you think I haven't heard you? And frankly I'm quite tired of it, so if you're not going to tell us what your problem is I suggest you start changing your attitude and be more cooperative."

            "Yes, Queen Kiara," said Dejani, tears suddenly filling her eyes. Apparently, whatever her problem was, it wasn't just a question of attitude. She lowered her head and retreated to a corner where she curled up into a ball and cried silently while the rest of the pride turned to continue with their plans. 

            "Ehm," Kiara felt her anger ebbing away at the sight of Dejani, but she pushed her feelings aside while she concentrated on more pressing matters. She now addressed the rest of the lionesses. "So… we now know we can't trace the kidnappers. It seems we will have to search for them in different directions. I think the best would be to send emmisaries to the prides that live beyond our borders. Someone might have seen something."

            "We should also send small groups to scan the deserted areas, you know, in case they may be hiding there."

            "Yeah, it's a good idea, how about three per group? I don't think we—"

            "That won't be necessary, Kiara."

            The whole group turned around. Kovu and Vitani had reentered the cave unnoticed and were now sitting near Rafiki, who had also kept quiet.

            "Kovu! I didn't realize you had returned."

            "Why do say it's not necessary to send the groups, Kovu?" asked the lioness who had suggested the idea. "You don't think they might be there?"

            "Well, for one thing it would be hard for them to hide there with three cubs, as there is no food or water," answered Rafiki, even though the question hadn't been for him.

            "Yes," added Kovu, "but also it's not necessary because Vitani and I think we might know where they are."

            Everyone stared at him in amazement. They all waited for him to continue his explanation, but instead they saw him walk towards the corner where Dejani was lying. Tears still rolling down her cheeks, the lioness didn't move until the young king's shadow was over her. She lifted her head and, seeing Kovu, she cowered further into the corner, expecting some other reprimand. 

            What she didn't expect was the king to lick away her tears and smile at her.

            "There's no need to cry, Dejani," he said in a soothing voice. "I might be a bad father, but I'm about to rectify my mistakes. You're one of the best trackers and I will be needing you. Will you help me?"

            Dejani looket at those green eyes in confoundment for a moment before she heard herself speak. "Yes. I'll help. And I'm sorry."

            Kovu smiled yet again and turned to face the pride. "What I'm about to tell you will sound strange, and I'm sorry if I can't explain it all, as I don't know half the things myself. But Vitani and I have gathered enough to get started, and in time we may be able to find all the lost pieces of the puzzle."

            "Very well," said Rafiki, who alone of all the group seemed not to be surpised at Kovu's actions. "Tell us your story."

…………………………………………………………..

I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit boring, especially the second part, but I haven't had much time to fix some details on the plot and meanwhile I wrote this. Besides, I needed to introduce a little of Kovu's past and also give some mention to Dejani, who will later be an important character. 

I won't be updating for a while, I really need to focus on some other stories I should have posted by now, but I haven't had the time. But as soon as I can I'll be back.


	6. Who are you?

Lo and behold. After a whole year absent I have finally updated this story. I really wish I had done it before, all year long I intended to write, but so much happened to me last year that updating my stories became the least of my worries. Unfortunately, things have not changed. It will probably take me a long time to update again.

I apologize to all for this, but I can't help it. I have too many things going on at this time, and my inspirational muse just doesn't come to visit me as often as I wish it would. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and sorry for the delay.

"I don't want to get up," murmured Sinta as he shuffled comfortably in the warm bed of leaves. Judging by the raucous noise that came from outside the cave, Kenna and Jenna were already awake and playing, and the young cub knew that any moment now his mother would come and make him get up and wash himself. Sinta, never one to miss playing with his friends, was usually up and about early like them, but not today. He felt so weary, as if he had walked for miles and miles without stopping, across wide plains of hot, dry land that burned his paws and stung his eyes. His muscles ached, and so did his head. He wanted only to sleep, and sleep hard.

But the noise outside continued and the young prince could not ignore it for long. With great effort he stood up, stretched himself to rub off the sleep and pain from his body, and finally opened his eyes.

He was not in his cave in Pride Rock.

Suddenly, the memories of yesterday's events rushed over Sinta like a huge wave and engulfed him. He remembered being with Genka at the tree where the baby birds were nestled. He recalled climbing the older lion's back in an attempt to reach a high limb, then suddenly fall as a huge creature attacked Genka and threw him to the ground. Winded up by the fall, and blinded by the midday sun, Sinta had only managed to see the silhouette of a huge lion, a lion that looked so very familiar, reaching out and grabbing him with his huge maw, before he passed out.

Sinta had woken up to find himself lying near a river. To his surprise, the creature that stood beside him, watching him, was not a lion but a jackal —a huge jackal, even for its own species. The creature, seeing the young prince awake, had lost no time in forcing him to follow it, threatening the cub with its razor-sharp teeth in case he planned to escape. Sinta was strong, and his own teeth and claws were as sharp as the jackal's, but he was still a cub, inexperienced in the art of fighting, of using his natural weapons against another. The little lion knew he was no match for the enormous jackal, whose body was covered in scars, souvenirs, no doubt, from numerous battles. The prince had had no choice but to obey and follow the creature along the shallow river, walking endlessly, tirelessly, until, at some point, the jackal changed direction, roughly heaved Sinta with his mouth, and jumped over some rocks, in an attempt to leave as few prints as possible.

The last memories came to Sinta in a blurry tangle. He recalled being thrown to the ground by the jackal and forced to walk again. The river was nowhere in sight, as well as any sign of vegetation, only hard, dry land as far as the eye could see. They walked —by the great kings, he _had_ walked through hot land— until the sun was low in the horizon and the chill breeze of night made Sinta shudder. Tired and hungry, stumbling over his own feet, the cub barely registered that they had at last arrived to a massive rock formation very similar to Pride Rock, where another creature, a huge, dark-furred creature, patiently waited. As the jackal left to find refuge in a small cave nearby, the other creature picked up the almost fainting Sinta, carried him inside another cave, and gently dropped him on a bed of leaves previously prepared.

The creature! The memory of the enormous animal that had attacked Genka, the dark beast that had brought him to this cave, cleared Sinta's mind as if someone had thrown him into cold water. He had been cubnapped! Despite the ache in his muscles, Sinta jumped, waves of panic almost overwhelming him. He desperately looked around him, almost expecting to find some opening, a crack in the wall other than the main entrance of the cave, through which he could escape. Of course, there was none.

Sinta tried to calm himself down, reminding himself what his father had once told him: a cool mind works best. He sat and tried to order his thoughts, to think of a plan of escape. _It would be easier to think without so much noise_, Sinta mused. _If only the twins could stop laughing for an instant_…

_The twins!_

Another splash of cold water. Kenna and Jenna were here! They had been brought too! With hardly a second thought, Sinta burst through the cave entrance, expecting to find the dark monster harming the little cubs, that despicable creature torturing his friends.

What the prince found was Kenna and Jenna happily playing with a dark-furred, strong-muscled male lion, a lion that he knew…

"Dad?"

The adult lion turned around and his expression brightened when he saw that Sinta had finally woken up. Leaving the girls to continue their romping, he approached the young prince with a light step, his eyes twinkling with the sunlight.

"Sinta! I'm so glad you are awake, I feared you would stay asleep for a week!"

"Dad¿what are you doing here? What are _we_ doing here?"

"Never mind, I will explain later. Now, come and let me see you, my son."

See him? What did he mean? If Sinta had had a little more experience, he would have understood that the strange feeling in his gut meant that something was terribly wrong and that he shouldn't approach. But he was so happy at seeing his father, at feeling a measure of security in this otherwise confusing situation, that he smiled and ran to meet his father. He felt himself being engulfed by the lion's body, felt his warm belly on top of him, comforting him.

Yet, something was not right.

Sinta couldn't understand what was wrong, he just knew that something about his father was different. He wriggled free of the lion's body and looked at him straight into his eyes. And then he saw.

There was no scar.

As realization crept over him, Sinta shrank back from the adult lion, fear clearly etched in his eyes. The adult, seeing the cub's reaction, stood up and watched him, his smile replaced by a deep frown.

"What is the matter, my son?"

"You're not my father!" exclaimed the prince in almost an accusatory tone.

The lion looked perplexed for a moment, then smiled. "You're right," he admitted. "I am not your father. I should have guessed I wouldn't fool you so easily."

The adult took a step towards the scared cub, who instinctively scrambled back, trying to keep a safe distance from the stranger. The lion smirked at the sight.

"Scared, Sinta?"

Sinta stared at the lion for a moment. He suddenly realized how foolish he looked backing away from the enemy. He was a prince, after all, heir to a kingdom he would one day rule. He should not show fear. He _would not_ show fear. He quickly struggled to his feet and faced the adult with all the courage he could muster.

"Who are you? Why have you brought us here?"

To Sinta's surprised, the lion laughed. "Good!" he exclaimed. "There's fighting spirit in you. I'm glad. I would have been terribly disappointed if anyone of my blood showed any sign of cowardice."

Now _that_ took Sinta by surprise. ¿Of his blood? Taken aback, the cub could only stare at the strange lion, a lion so resembling his father. "Who are you?" he asked again, his voice less forceful and more concerned.

"Who am I indeed," answered the lion. "I am a shadow, an outcast, a creature that lives without really existing. But to you, I am something else. I am your father's brother."

Sinta wasn't as surprised as he supposed he should have been at that revelation. For one thing, he had already deduced that a lion looking so much like his father had to be some relative. But hearing the lion say it brought undeniable confirmation to the theory, and Sinta wasn't prepared to assimilate such. "Why have you brought us here?" he dared to ask once more, in an attempt to catch the adult lion in a lie. "If you are really my uncle, why didn't you present yourself in Pride Rock, instead of stealing my cousins and me?"

"Stealing is such a harsh word" replied the older lion. "I do not intend to keep you here by force, and as soon as I see fit the three of you will be returned to your parents. I just wanted to see you, know you, away from the prying eyes of the whole royal family. I would not have been well received at Pride Rock, I assure you."

"Why?" was the cub's reply. "What did you do?"

"Do?" exclaimed the lion, and for once his tone became more threatening. "I did nothing to them except being born different. I was banned, thrown away, turned into an outcast, even before I could walk. I was not even given a chance to prove myself worthy."

For a moment, the lion regarded Sinta with a cold and dangerous look, and Sinta, despite himself, felt a twinge of fear. But almost immediately the lion's visage softened, even turned into a somewhat sad smile.

"But that happened long ago," he said, "and is not important to you. Let not the troubles of others become your own. Now come, you must be hungry. I saved a piece of meat for you in one of the smaller caves. Your cousins have already eaten."

Sinta watched the retreating lion's form for a moment, unsure whether he should follow or not. Family or not, he didn't trust him —how cold had he looked at him just now!— but the memory of that sad smile replacing the lion's anger left the curious cub wondering what secret his supposed uncle was hiding.

Realizing that he had no other choice but to trust the lion —albeit cautiously— and knowing that, if he ever considered escaping, he would need to be in perfect condition, Sinta decided to follow the lion and have a good breakfast.

"By the way," the cub asked when he had caught up with the lion. "What is your name?"

The lion's face was bright indeed when he answered, feeling he had somehow earned his nephew's trust: "I am Shimael."


End file.
